NO THOUGHTS AT ADDRESS BUT ONE I never want to think about swing mechanics over a shot, especially while in contention or during a key moment in a match. That’s not going to work out well for me. After I decide on my target and the shot I’m going to try to hit, I leave all that as I step in, take three looks, and then the ball’s gone. That said, under pressure the tendency among many golfers is to get quick and not complete the backswing. When you practice, think about getting the sternum over your trail knee. That’s a full shoulder turn, and good things happen from here. “Full Swing,” that the decision to leave you off was because you weren’t part of this “old boys club.” How true do you think that was and how do you fight against that with your own picks? KB: No, I don’t think that’s true. What has been lost is this: Part of it falls on me. I needed to get to know the guys better. This is a team. You need to have guys under the highest pressure feeling comfortable with one another, to know they can trust the other guy, to know who they are fighting with. You must look at potential pairings. Can this player pair up with three or four guys or can you only play him with this one guy? I totally understood the direction Zach went. He went with proven guys that were major winners, guys who were Ryder Cuppers for the last decade, nothing personal. GD: There’s a lot of respect between you and Luke Donald and the European players. That said, they haven’t been shy about their feelings about you potentially playing, namely the idea that a playing captain in today’s Ryder Cup will do two jobs at 50 percent instead of one at 100 percent. That’s gamesmanship, yet there’s a legitimate debate about whether the captaincy has become too demanding for someone who’s also trying to compete. KB: When I first started, I didn’t have my five vice- captains (Jim Furyk, Kevin Kisner, Webb Simpson, Brandt Snedeker, Gary Woodland), so I didn’t have that support system. Now that I have these five guys that each bring unique perspectives, opinions and capabilities to the team, it seems much more man- ageable now. I still think (being a playing-captain) would be very challenging if that’s what happens, but I think it’s much more manageable now with these five guys behind me. GD: What lessons from past Ryder Cup captains do you want to incorporate or avoid? KB: Just making sure the guys are prepared, and they know who they’re playing with, that they know the plan. Are you going to be called upon for alternate
54 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2025
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